kaleekolai

I’m sitting in the Winnipeg airport right now, having left my home in the North. I'm halfway to my new home and doing okay. All my luggage is checked for the second leg of my journey and I'm chilling in the lounge until it's time for me to board the plane. I've got about an hour to kill and figured $10 for entry into the lounge that has wireless internet access was as good an option as any!

This morning I was a nervous wreck. I had a rough time sleeping last night because my stomach was in knots and I was still feeling pretty sick (I get nervous when I fly, even though I love it). I got a good amount of sleep but it was restless. My nerves did not improve when I saw the cloud cover in Arviat and the rain coming down. I wasn’t sure if the plane would get in. Then of course there were the irrational fears of my ride forgetting to pick me up, the airline losing my luggage, or some of my luggage not getting through. Thanks to the Gods none of those things happened. The plane got in on time and the guy at the airline counter actually wrapped up my guitar and small suitcase in one big plastic bag so he wouldn’t have to charge me excess for the extra piece! I couldn’t believe it. He also asked me if I was leaving and had a connecting flight and when I said yes he marked BOTH my bags as priority! I was really happy because this bit of good fortune and slowly my stomach started to ease up.

In the air, I felt myself calm further. I knew that getting out of Arviat was the most uncertain part of the trip (given the way the weather can change on a dime). I did tear up a few times during the flight but overall I found myself feeling fairly decent. As we were coming in to Churchill I glance out my window and saw the Bay below. As we passed over it I saw a white fish and thought “neat” and then looked again realizing what it must be. Belugas!! Tons and tons of belugas swimming in the bay. They were swimming in groups and some looked like they were swimming alone but there were so many of them that there was no mistaking them. I felt my heart leap. I finally got to see belugas swimming in the Hudson.

I still don’t feel like this is truly real and I think that’s probably my brain trying to protect itself from overload. I also don’t feel as sick as I did for the past few days and I’m very grateful for it… I’m worried that everything, however, will hit me all at once when I get to my Dad’s place. Of course I’ll be in a safe environment there, so it shouldn’t be too bad. I’m just really glad that I’ll have someone at the airport to pick me up today. I don’t know what I’d do if I had to get home alone.